Press Release: Saratoga Performing Arts Center Announces CulinaryArts@SPAC Winter & Spring Series

December 4, 2025

Saratoga Performing Arts Center Announces

CulinaryArts@SPAC Winter & Spring Series

Featuring

Everyone Hot Pot

with Natasha Pickowicz, February 5

Heartland Masala

with Jyoti and Auyon Mukharji, April 23

A Kitchen on Goose Cove

with Devin Finigan, May 21

Culinary tastings, drinks, and conversation with authors, chefs

and hosts Tiina Loite, and WAMC’s Joe Donahue and Sarah LaDuke

Saratoga Springs, NY (December 4, 2025) – Saratoga Performing Arts Center announces the return of its celebrated CulinaryArts@SPAC initiative this winter and spring, presented in partnership with lead sponsor Franklin Square Market at The Pines at SPAC. The 2026 season begins on February 5 with chef and four-time James Beard Award finalist Natasha Pickowicz fresh off the release of her new book Everyone Hot Pot, a festive exploration of Lunar New Year traditions. On April 23, mother-son team Jyoti and Auyon Mukharji will present Heartland Masala: Indian Cooking from an American Kitchen, blending Indian culinary traditions with diasporic American stories. The series concludes on May 21 with A Kitchen on Goose Cove, celebrating the culinary magic of coastal Maine with acclaimed chef Devin Finigan of Aragosta, recognized as one of Food & Wine’s best restaurants in both 2024 and 2025. Each event features exclusive tastings, conversation with expert chefs, authors and hosts, and opportunities for book signings. The conversations will be recorded for future broadcast on WAMC’s The Roundtable as part of its “WAMC On The Road” series.

“CulinaryArts@SPAC is a celebration of culture, connection, and the power of a shared table,” says Elizabeth Sobol, Chief Executive Officer of Saratoga Performing Arts Center. “This season, from Natasha Pickowicz’s joyous exploration of hot pot traditions, to the Mukharjis’ rich journey through Indian cuisine, to Devin Finigan’s evocative taste of the Maine coast, each gathering reflects SPAC’s mission to bring people together through art, nature, and the stories that shape how we eat. I’m especially delighted to welcome Auyon Mukharji, whose band Darlingside is one of my personal favorites, adding a familiar and local musical connection to the evening.”

Beyond its amphitheater stage, SPAC has become a year-round gathering place celebrating the artistry of food in building connection while empowering individuals to understand how what we eat influences our communities and our planet. The CulinaryArts@SPAC initiative, founded in 2020, combines culinary excellence and education with exquisite meals that emphasize socially conscious cultivation and consumption, local procurement, and fair wages.

Everyone Hot Pot with Natasha Pickowicz
February 5, 2026 | 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

In celebration of Lunar New Year, CulinaryArts@SPAC welcomes four-time James Beard Award–nominated chef and acclaimed author Natasha Pickowicz for an evening dedicated to the ancient East Asian tradition of hot pot. In conversation with former New York Times Photo Editor for Food and Style Tiina Loite, Pickowicz will introduce her new book Everyone Hot Pot, a vibrant guide to the communal tableside ritual of poaching vegetables, seafood, meats, and tofu in fragrant simmering broth.

Guests will enjoy tastes from the book including Cucumber Peanut Salad, Pea Shoot & Shrimp Dumplings, Scallion Pancakes, Crunchy Seaweed Boats, and cups of hot pot broth, alongside wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages. Pickowicz will also share practical techniques for recreating a hot pot gathering at home, from essential equipment and pantry staples to the cultural history that makes this culinary format so joyful and connective. A book signing will follow. Tickets to attend are $125 and are available at spac.org.

Heartland Masala: Indian Cooking from an American Kitchen with Jyoti and Auyon Mukharji
April 23, 2026 | 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

CulinaryArts@SPAC presents an evening of rich culinary storytelling with the Kansas City–based mother-son duo Jyoti and Auyon Mukharji, celebrating Heartland Masala: Indian Cooking from an American Kitchen. In conversation with WAMC’s Sarah LaDuke, the authors will share their intergenerational journey through Indian gastronomy, culture, and history—woven with recipes that reflect both tradition and the evolution of Indian food in the American heartland.

Guests will enjoy tastings prepared from Heartland Masala, featuring a selection of traditional and diasporic Indian dishes such as Masala Brussels Sprouts, Sundal (Chickpeas with Coconut and Curry Leaves), and Macher Jhol (Fish Curry with Tomato and Nigella). Drawing on Jyoti’s decades of home cooking and Auyon’s work as a culinary historian and member of the beloved band Darlingside—familiar to many SPAC audiences—their shared passion for teaching and storytelling promises an evening that is both enlightening and delicious. Wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages will be served. A book signing will follow. Tickets are $125 and are available at spac.org.

A Kitchen on Goose Cove with Devin Finigan
May 21, 2026| 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Experience the rugged beauty and culinary magic of coastal Maine with chef Devin Finigan, owner of Aragosta—recognized as one of Food & Wine’s best restaurants in both 2024 and 2025. In conversation with WAMC’s Joe Donahue, Finigan will share stories from her debut cookbook A Kitchen on Goose Cove, a love letter to Maine’s pristine seafood, seasonal produce, and the rhythms of life along its storied coastline.

The evening will feature a tasting menu highlighting iconic Maine ingredients and Finigan’s signature recipes such as Lobster Rolls, Scallops with Wild Ramp Sauce, Mussel Chowder, Duck Breast with Peach Sauce, Tomato Galette, and Whoopie Pies—dishes that draw thousands of visitors each year, with tables at her restaurant often booked months in advance. Guests will also hear about Finigan’s remarkable culinary journey from Vermont to Deer Isle, her training in some of the world’s most esteemed kitchens, and the creation of her renowned destination restaurant overlooking Goose Cove. Wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages will be available. A book signing will follow. Tickets are $125 and are available at spac.org.

CulinaryArts@SPAC is presented in partnership with lead sponsor Franklin Square Market, downtown Saratoga’s community market and bar. The initiative is produced by Culinary Consultants Pam Abrams and Kevin London.

*All menus and ingredients are subject to change.

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Saratoga Performing Arts Center

Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), located in the historic resort town of Saratoga Springs in upstate New York, is one of America’s most prestigious outdoor amphitheaters. Its exquisite setting in a 2,400-acre park preserve surrounded by hiking trails, geysers, and natural mineral springs draws lovers of arts, culture and nature for performances by resident companies New York City Ballet, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Saratoga Jazz Festival, and concerts by Live Nation. SPAC also hosts imaginative programming such as Caffè Lena @ SPAC and initiatives in culinary, literary, healing and visual arts.

SPAC is a 501c3 charitable organization. Donations and proceeds from fundraising events benefit the Center’s thriving education program, community outreach efforts, and the vibrancy of its programming. For more information visit spac.org.